II (Flamm) flusf. A and B

German 8-wheel armored

Schwere Panzerspahwagen 8-wheel armored cars: Sd.Kfz. 231; Sd.Kfz 232; Sd.Kfz. 233 and Sd.Kfz 263. Source material: Die gepanzerten Radfahrzeuge des deutschen Heeres 1905-1945, Motorbuch Vertag; Schwere Panzerspahwagen (SdKfz234), Darlington Publications; Panzer Tracts 13 Panzerspaehwagen Sd.Kfz.3 to Sd.Kfz. 263, Panzer Tracts.

The Ml2 155 Gun Motor Carriage .37 Source material: TM9-751, 155-mm Gun Motor Carriage Ml2 and Cargo Carrier M30. War Department. 28 January 1944, reprinted by Portrayal Press; TM9-751, Change 1, 155-mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 and Cargo Carrier M30, War Department, 23 August, 1944, reprinted by Portrayal Press; History of the 155-mm Gun Motor Carriage Ml2 and Cargo Carrier M30, War Department, July 1945 and Historical Monograph, Pressed Steel Car Company, Inc. (Armored Tank Division), Hegewisch Station, Chicago, IL, March 1943.

Kradschiizten & Kradmelder, part 2 .59 Source material: BMW Motorcycles in World War II: R12IR75, Schiffer publishing; German Military Motorcycles in the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht, Schiffer publishing; Heavy Sidecar Motorcycles of the Wehrmacht; Schiffer publishing; BMW archives.

German fully tracked flamethrowers:.82 Pz.Kpfw. II (Flamm) Ausf. A and B (Sd.Kfz. 122) Flamingo; Panzer B2 (F); Panzerkampfwagen III (FI); Sturmgeschiitz-I (FLAMM) and Flammpanzer 38. Source material: Flammpanzer: German Flamethrowers 1941-1945, Osprey; Sturmgeschutz & Its Variants, Schiffer; Panzer III & Its Variants, Schiffer; Czechoslovak Armored Fighting Vehicles 1918-1948, Schiffer.

All articles researched and captioned by David Doyle and Pat Stansell.

Photo Credits:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Bundesarchiv, Koblenz (BA), U.S. Army Ordinance Museum, Walter J. Speilberger. (WJS), Jochen Vollert Archive, Caen Memorial, Lutz Fellmuth, Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA and Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY. Other photos credited by or for the individual authors. ALLIED-AXIS is published by Ampersand Publishing Company, Inc. 235 N.E. 6th Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33483. Tel: (561) 266-9686 Fax: (561) 266-9786. E-mail: mmirpat@aol.com. Agent in Hong Kong: Falcon Supplies Co., 201 Chit Lee Commercial Building, 30 Shaukiwan Road, Hong Kong Tel: 852 2886 2290 Fax: 852 2886 3001. E-mail: falcon@hk-hobby.com.hk Agent in the UK and Europe: Historex Agents, Wellington House, 157 Snargate Street. Dover, KENT CT17 9BZ Tel: 01304 206720 Fax: 01304 204528. E-mail: sales@historex-agents.com Agent in Italy and Europe: tuttostoria, via G.S. Sonnino, 34-43100 Parma, Italy Tel: 39-0521-292733 Fax: 39-0521-290387. Agent in Japan and the Far East: HobbyLink Japan, Tatebayashi-shi. Nishitakane-cho 43-6. Gunma 374- 0075, Japan. Fax: 81-276-80-3067. E-mail: dealers@hlj.com

®2006. Ampersand Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from the publisher, except in cases where quotations are needed for reviews. Created and printed in the U.S.A.

German 8-wheeled Armored Cars

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The off-road mobility of the German 6-wheeled armored cars was limited, in part due to their modified truck chassis. Desiring to overcome these problems, the Waffenamt, through its Wa Pruef 6 automotive design office, requested Bussing NAG to design an all-new vehi¬ cle. The new vehicle, the uniform eight-wheeler, was powered by Bussing’s own 8-cylinder L8V/G.S.36 engine. It entered production in late 1936. All eight of the self-sealing tires drove and steered, and a driver’s posi¬ tion was provided in each end of the vehicle, allowing it to be driven at a top speed of 85 km/hr in either direc¬ tion. In addition to the driver, a co driver, commander and gunner rounded out the four-man crew. The vehicle’s armor was sufficient to protect it from 7.92 mm machine gun fire at ground level. A July 1940 modification involved the addition of a spaced armor structure called a Zusatpanzer on the front of the vehicle. In June 1942 the thickness of the basic frontal armor was increased and this structure was dropped. These vehicles were armed with a 2cm automatic cannon, as well as a coaxi¬ ally mounted 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun. Ammunition stowage was 1,125 rounds of 7.92 and 180 rounds of 2cm, which was adequate when the cannon was fired single-shot. In May 1939 a belt-fed MG 34 with flexible mount began to be installed. At first the 2 cm cannon was the Kw.K. 30, but in 1942 that was replaced by the Kw.K.38. The later cannon lacked the tapered profile of the former. Beginning in 1941, the Sd.Kfz. 231 was fitted with the Funkspechgerat a radio set. Prior to this no radio equipment was carried by the Sd.Kfz. 231. In 1943 this was replaced by the more powerful Funkspechgerat F radio set. Despite the vehicle’s overtaxed drive train and the fact that its armor could be defeated by anything equal to, or larger than the U.S. M2 HB .50 caliber machine gun, the Sd.Kfz. 231 (8-rad), as well as the rest of this series, continued to serve until war’s end. Here is

i an example of a factory-fresh Sd.Kfz. 231, less arma¬ ment. Notice the two-piece driver’s hatch, twin forward visors, and turn signal semaphores mounted amidships of the hull. (Walter J. Spielberger)

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As seen here, their flush-mounting vision ports can identify the early production vehicles. Also, notice that the mufflers, tailpipes and guards do not extend to the bottom of the fender. Later tailpipes were bent and the muffler and guards reached nearer the bottom edge of the fender. (Walter J. Spielberger)

The earliest vehicles did not have Zusatpanzer, turn signal guards, or even a pipe-type front bumper. Such a vehicle is shown here. Also, faintly visible is the slightly tapered tube of the 2 cm Kampfwagenkanone 30. Later vehicles used the 2cm Kw.K. 38 tank gun. Note the details of the headlight covers and the tool stowage.

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The Zusatpanzer plate seen extending from the front of this vehicle was intended to provide additional armor protection from heavy machine guns and light antitank rounds. Unfortunately, the additional weight overloaded the front suspension, especially when crews packed the space between the body and the structure with stowage. The Viking ship painted on the hull side recognizes the service of the General Goring Regiment in the Norwegian campaign. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

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This vehicle has come to grief during the Polish campaign and has been abandoned by its crew. As was expected of them, they have stripped it of all stowage and armament. The distinctive leaf-shape of the tire inflation valves can be seen here to good evidence. (Vollert Archive)

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The Sd.Kfz. 232 was intended to provide long-distance radio communications for the heavy platoon of the armored Reconnaissance Company of each reconnais¬ sance battalion. For this purpose, three of these vehicles were assigned to each heavy platoon. The Sd.Kfz. 232 was developed alongside the Sd.Kfz. 231, with which it shares almost every part. They are distinguished by the powerful radio used in the 232. Initially the Fu 11 SE 100, with its massive frame aerial, was installed. With the vehi¬ cle stationary, this radio had a voice range of seventy kilo¬ meters. Later, this radio was augmented with a short- range radio of the same type, the Funkspechgerat A, that was retrofitted to the Sd.Kfz. 231. Later, the Fu 12 SE 80 radios with the equally distinctive, but smaller, “star" aeri¬ als were mounted, rather than the Fu 11 set. In time, the Funkspechgerat F supplanted the Funkspechgerat A for short-range communications. Production of the 232 last¬ ed a bit longer than it did for the 231, with the last one not being completed until 1943, seven years after the first one was begun. This brand-new Sd.Kfz. 232 awaits delivery. The earliest vehicles, such as this, lacked both the addi¬ tional frontal armor and any form of front bumper. The two-piece driver’s hatch is plainly visible. The large hole in the early flush-type mantlet accepted the 2 cm cannon while the smaller one was for the coaxial machine gun. (Walter J. Spielberger)

This Sd.Kfz. 232 is crossing a shallow anti-tank ditch during the first few days of the Polish campaign. The large, white cross—centered on the rear of the vehicle is indicative of vehicles involved in the invasion of Poland. (BA)

The Sd.Kfz. 232 was distinguished from the 231 by its radio equipment. In the case of vehicles built prior to July 1942, the radio was a Fu 11 SE 100 and the antenna was the mas sive frame array shown here. Note the distinctive pattern of the exhaust screens. This vehicle was photographed in the Balkans in 1941. (BA)

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This Sd.Kfz. 232 has been side lined during the French campaign due to tire damage. The strange markings on the open engine doors are a portion of a larqe white swastika painted on the rear deck as an air recognition device. Although not well known, the vertical supports for the large antenna array were made of wood. (Caen Memorial)

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This well-battered Sd.Kfz. 232 is seen in Russia during the summer of 1941. The Zusatpanzer, which has been (violently?) displaced from the front end, is now stowed on the rear deck. The barrels of the vehicle's weapons have been covered with cloth to protect them from the grit of the open steppe, but still leaving them operable in an emergency. The vehicle is marked with the distinctive G, indicative of Panzergruppe 2. The name "Bismarck" can also be seen on the superstructure. (Vollert Archives)

German 8-wheeled Armored Cars

The heavy armored scout vehicle armed with 7.5 cm cannon, known as the Sd.Kfz. 233 provided

I armored reconnaissance units with a more for- I. midable weapon than they had previously. While K the 2cm automatic cannon of the Sd.Kfz. 231 ■ and 232 eight-wheeled armored cars was effec- ■ five against lightly armored targets, the Sd.Kfz. ^ 233 s 7.5 cm StuK was much more effective

- against medium tanks and more substantial forti- fications. These weapons were made available due to the decision to rearm the Sturmgeschutz with a higher velocity weapon. From July 1942 through October 1943,129 of these vehicles were built by Schichau, most of them newly con-

' structed. But a few were built by cutting down wf the superstructure of rebuilt Sd.Kfz. 263 vehicles, -. upon which the 233 design was based. Four

men crewed these vehicles, with three of them, ’ - the commander, gunner and loader, occupying

^ the open-topped fighting compartment. Due to v' \V space and concerns about overloading the

, already strained chassis, only 32 rounds of ammunition were carried. These vehicles served

J from Tunisia until the end of the war. This page: Preparing for action in Tunisia, these four new Sd.Kfz. 233 move up from port. Notice that each of the vehicles has four smoke canisters on each front fender. Wire mesh screens protect the headlights. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

Some of the earliest Sd.Kfz. 233 were built by cutting down the superstructure of overhauled Sd.Kfz. 263 vehicles. This accounts for the presence of turn signal guards on this vehicle This feature was discontinued from new production prior to the July 1942 introduction of the Sd.Kfz. 233. Captured intact by the British, this vehicle was carefully examined. Notice the water can (so identified by the white cross painted on it) stowed on the rear of the hull. A spare tire is mounted on the rear of the vehicle, as was the case on all the eight-wheeled armored cars after the self-sealing inner tubes were discontinued. (Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA)

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The cannon of the Sd.Kfz. 233 could be traversed 9 degrees left and 12 degrees to the right. Larger adjustments were made by repositioning the entire vehicle. The gun could be elevated from minus 4 to plus 20 degrees. Interestingly, the outboard smoke can ister from each fender is missing. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

This view, taken from the rear deck of a Sd.Kfz. 233 captured in Tunisia, shows the sighting mechanism clearly, as well as the breech of the StuK L/24. Only 32 rounds of ammunition were carried due to space and weight considerations. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

German 8-wheeled

The Sd.Kfz. 263 was designed to provide a mobile base station for panzer unit communications. Intended for use in rear areas, these vehicles were equipped only with a ball-mounted 7.92 mm MG 34 for self- defense as their only armament. Their armor protec¬ tion, like the other vehicles in this family, was proof only against 7.92 mm armor piercing rounds and smaller, fired from ground level. Rather than a turret,

the top of the body was extended upward as a six- sided truncated pyramid. The structure housed a pow¬ erful m.Pz.Fu.Tr.b with Fu 11 SE 100 radio set. In addi¬ tion to the frame, or bow, type antenna, these vehicles were also equipped with a nine-meter telescoping antenna mounted behind the raised superstructure. A crew of five men, a commander, and two each drivers and radio operators, were assigned to each of these

vehicles. Automotively, the Sd.Kfz. 263 was identical to the Sd.Kfz. 231 and 232 8-rad vehicles. Production of these vehicles was ordered in 1937 and continued until January 1943. At that time the production order for the remaining vehicles was changed to the 7.5 cm-armed Sd.Kfz. 233. Like all the vehicles in this series, the Sd.Kfz. 263 was built by Schichau on a Bussing-NAG GS chassis. Left: This brand new Sd.Kfz. 263 was posed for photos at the factory in 1939. The ball mount for the self-defense machine gun can be seen in the front of the superstructure, although the weapon itself is absent. (Walter J. Spielberger) This page: Like the rest of this family of vehicles, the Sd.Kfz. 263 had a forward-opening storage locker built into each fender. The mottled appearance of the paint is the result of the two-tone dark brown spots on dark gray base camouflage. (Walter J. Spielberger)

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All the crewman seen here in these two photos are decked out in their finest, with shined leather and felt gloves in evidence. The purpose is most likely a parade or other public display. These shots also provide an excellent per¬ spective of the early panzer “beret.” These uniforms were in most respects identical to their tanker counterparts, but marked with the appropriate arm of service piping color. In this case, most likely yellow. The shot at left shows some rarely seen uniform details, such as the marksmanship lanyards (two versions) and the officer’s parade belt on the man on the right. (Fellmuth)

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The outside of this Sd.Kfz. 263, like that of most military vehicles, was festooned with considerable additional stowage. The extra water cans, identifiable by their white crosses, were especially valuable for the men of the Afrika Korps. A large swastika flag has been draped over the rear portion of the antenna array to act as an air recognition device. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

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Though ten 155mm cannon had been mounted on motor carriages in 1918 by Rock Island Arsenal, the iQ/n k dormant for years- Development of 155mm Gun Motor Carriages resumed in earnest in June

n ■ havin9 been initiated by Ordnance Committee action. The pilot, known as the T6 and shown here

Thouqh initially having little support from General Moore of the field artillery branch, tactical tests at Fort Bragg by the Field Artillery Board in June 1942 revealed that the T6 could be moved forward six miles and prepared to fire in 35 minutes. Competing against this was con¬ ventional towed artillery, which required 3 hours to perform the same maneuver. This served to dampen criticism of the heavy gun motor carriage concept. (NARA).

Tests at Aberdeen revealed serious flaws in the hydraulically operated recoil spade, as well as problematic entry of dust into the traversing mechanism. Accordingly, standard¬ ized production vehicles dispensed with the hydraulic system in favor of a winch and wire rope hoisting system for the spade. Likewise, the mount was redesigned to provide better sealing against foreign matter entry. (Rock Island Arsenal Museum)

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The Ml 2, as the T6, was recommended for standardization on July 25,1942 and was produced by the Pressed Steel Car Company. An order for fifty vehicles was authorized in July of 1942, with the weapons themselves coming from Army stocks. This order was upped to 100 vehicles on August 10,1942, necessitating the reclaiming of 155mm guns that had been used on monuments to World War I. This view, taken at the General Motors Proving Ground, where most army track¬ laying vehicles were tested during WWII, illustrates the September 1943 appear¬ ance of a production vehicle. The previously mentioned winch is clearly visible on the upper right side of the superstructure. (Patton Museum, Ft. Knox, KY)

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This Raritan Arsenal photo was used to illustrate the vehicle’s manuals. Despite its retouching, it does provide an excellent overall view of the layout of the Gun Motor Carriage. The Continental R975 Cl engine, located in the rear of the M3 medium tank upon which the vehicle was based, was relocated well forward. (Patton Museum, Ft. Knox, KY)

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Another Raritan Arsenal view, this time showing the sand shields in place These were not installed at the time of manufacture, but rather were attached at tank depots prior to the vehicles being shipped to using units. The manufacturing branch requested this work, along with replacement of the fuel pump and instal ation of extension handles for the operation of Cumo oil filters, on February 10,1943.

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Another view of the 35th production vehicle taken at Aberdeen. The long rear over¬ hang of the recoil spade was a hindrance to the off-road mobility of the vehicle and the engine life was only 160 hours. Despite these problem areas, the Ml 2 forever changed the face of U.S. Army heavy artillery. (MVPA Archives)

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The M30 cargo carrier transported 40 complete rounds of 155mm ammunition, as well as crew. Later modifications upped the ammo capacity of these vehicles to 78 rounds. (Patton Museum, Ft. Knox, KY)

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Though censors have obliterated some of the markings of the vehicles, many interesting things are shown in this view. In order to increase the elevation of their guns, this battery of the 991st Field Artillery Battalion has driven their motor car¬ riages onto improvised ramps. The soldier in the foreground is carrying a propel¬ lant charge for the weapon. Soon, this powder will be hurling a shell toward Bildohen, Germany. (Patton Museum, Ft. Knox, KY)

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Motorcycles were used by troops of all countries involved in WWII, but much more extensively by Germany than any other nation. Prior to the out¬ break of WWII and throughout the war, motorcycles were an integral part of their military strategy. Unlike the U.S., who viewed the motorcycle primarily as an instrument of messengers and police, to Germany the motorcycle was a means of quickly inserting heavily armed troops deep within the vul¬ nerable rear areas of their opponents. Employing large numbers of motor¬ cycles together, their troops equipped with heavy machine guns, was the norm in the early stages of the war. Military training of motorcycle troops began before the war under the guise of motorcycle club’s off-road compe¬ tition. With the war fully underway, motorcycles were considered so impor¬ tant that they were nationalized. That is, representatives of the government, using motorcycle registrations, approached private owners and purchased their bikes - whether or not the owner wanted to sell, and often conscripted the former owner as well. Naturally, before this “nationalization” began, pro¬ curement from builders had begun, including this model R4 from BMW.

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Many enthusiasts think of any German military BMW with sidecar assume is a R75, but they are often mistaken. The R12 was produced in far greater numbers, and had far more widespread use, than the R75; this was espe¬ cially so during the early stages of the war.

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Production of the R12 began in 1935. The R12 had a 750 cc side valve, two-cylinder engine that performed remarkably well with the heavy load despite its meager 18 hp rating. However, the German war machine pressed into Russia, it became apparent that the R12 lacked the power for such maneuvers. Coupled with its engine and power train’s susceptibility to damage from mud and snow, these deficiencies led the Wehrmacht to look for a better bike. The result of this search was BMW R75 and Zundapp KS750.

Top left: The throttle was on the right handgrip, as was the brake lever. The right foot operated a heel-operated brake. Top right: The sidecar of the R12 was powered, a weakness in off road operations that was corrected on the later R75. Above left: The R12 was equipped with a tank-mounted right-hand shifter. Above right: On the left hand grip was the clutch and timing lever.

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The BMW R35 was a solo machine that could be distinguished by its tele¬ scopic front forks. The R35's primary operational use was as a dispatch bike, such as this example. Still, the large, civilian-style fenders remained and were prone to becoming packed with mud.

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The Ziind^p KS600 was introduced in 1938 as a replacement for the K500 With a more powerful, overhead cam engine, this bike could be coupled to a sidecar. This motorcycle-sidecar pair is believed by many to be the best combination machine fielded by the German army prior to the advent of the very heavy R75/KS750 units.

The Zundapp KS750 was developed concurrently with the BMW R75, and in fact many components were interchangeable. The sidecar wheel was pow¬ ered via a Zundapp-designed differential that was also used by BMW. The machine used a complex, parallelogram front fork. Though somewhat main¬ tenance intensive, it provided superior riding and handling.

The Zundapp K800 and KS800 were powered by the largest engine of any motorcycle ordered by the Wehrmacht. For this reason it was forbidden to operate it without the sidecar, although this was done occasionally. Note the repetition of the motorcycle's registration number on the rear saddlebag Perhaps a hedge against theft?

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The NSU 201-ZDB was built from 1935-1940 and this rare survivor is on display at the Panzer Museum in Munster. A light dispatch bike, it is powered by a single-cylinder, two- stroke 198cc engine developing 7horsepower at 4150 RPM

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These are Czech bikes of the brand "CZ," which were built in 125 and 150cc versions. They were known locally as “Robot,” meaning, “to work”—reflect¬ ing their use by the average working people. These machines were produced in Straconice, near the German border, during the 1938-1955 era. Here, a large group of Kradmelder is taking a break with their recently appropriated machines. Rather than motorcycle saddlebags, these bikes have German cavalry saddlebags.

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Also on display in Munster is this DKW-produced NZ350. Used by the German army as a medium courier bike, the machine was produced from 1938 through 1940. The NZ-350 had an aluminum frame, making it unusually light. The two-stroke 346cc single cylinder engine drove the rear wheel

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through a four-speed gearbox and a chain-drive. The combination of lightweight and efficient gearing gave the machine a 105 km/hr top speed. Even though the bike was not robust or powerful enough for all the military asked of it, it continued to serve until the end of the war.

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German fully tracked flamethrowers

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Development of this flame-throwing tank, based on the Panzerkampfwagen II, was begun in early 1939. Prior to this, a few Panzer Is had been retrofitted with flamethrowers by troops in the field. Those field-modified tanks were only marginally successful, as the useable range of the flamethrowers, which were originally man-packs, was too short to use without the tank becoming vulnerable. The Panzerflammwagen (Sd.Kfz. 122), later known as the Panzerkampfwagen II (Flamm), addressed this problem in a variety of ways. A specially designed flame nozzle, known as a Spritzkopf, was mounted on each front fender. These spray heads were independently traversable through 180 degrees. These nozzles were engineered to maximize the range of the flame oil. The fluid was propelled by com¬ pressed nitrogen that was stored in four cylinders inside the tank. An

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acetylene-fueled torch provided ignition of the oil. Production of the Ausf. A began in April 1939. Wegmenn built forty-six vehicles on the Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. D chassis that in turn had been manufactured by M.A.N. Additional flamethrowers were built by Wegmann based on conventional gun tanks returned for conversion. Orders for 150 Ausf. B vehicles were placed even before the first series was completed. Production of this series, utilizing newly assembled M.A.N. chassis began in August of

1941, but prior to that date the order had been reduced to 90 vehicles. That decision was subsequently reversed and new orders came down instructing that the remaining chassis be used to construct tank- killers. Sixty-two Ausf. B flamethrowers had been constructed by that time. Eventually, even these vehi¬ cles were converted to tank killers, losing their entire flamethrower structure. Though they saw limited action, these vehicles, like most flame weapons, were very effective. (BA)

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Consistent with the German military practice of reusing or adapting for front-line service those enemy vehicles captured in large numbers, the decision was made to build a flame-projecting tank utilizing the French Char B as its basis. The French hull-mounted 7.5 cm gun was removed, and in its place was installed the same type Flammenwerfer- Spritzkopf that had previously been used on the Panzerkampfwagen II (F). Twenty-four tanks were converted in this manner. These in turn were issued to Panzerabteilung (F) 102, which employed them in oper¬ ation Barbarossa. Interestingly, the French had also originally fielded the Char B as a flamethrower. There is some speculation that the German design was simply copied from the French one. Development of Char B-based flamethrowers continued with a second series. These vehicles differed from the initial production in that a pump was used to induce the flow of the flame oil rather than the compressed nitrogen used previously. The flame oil was stored on the rear of the tank in a fuel compartment made of armor plate. At least 60 of these improved flamethrowers were built beginning in December 1941 and the vehicles served on both fronts for the duration of the war.

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The German military liked the idea of a flame-throwing tank and the Panzer II- based flamethrower was reasonably successful. Therefore the decision was made to produce a second series of Flammpanzers based on captured French Char B tanks. This Panzer B2 (F) was knocked out in Holland in 1944. (NARA)

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The main armament of the Char B was normally a 7.5 cm gun mounted in the hull. As part of the flammpanzer conversion process this gun was removed and the flame projector took up the space it occupied. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

Unlike earlier systems, which used pressurized gasses (usually nitrogen) as a propellant, the second series of Char B conversions used a pump to force the flame oil through the nozzle. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

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Mechanically, the tanks remained essentially as they were under French ship. These vehicles served on both the Eastern and Western fronts. We designed the mount for the flamethrower, which replaced the 7.5 cm gu Koebe designed the flamethrower itself. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY

Pleased with the success of the Koebe pump-driven flame system mounted in the second series of Panzerkampfwagen B2 (F), the Waffenamt had the same system installed in the turrets of Panzerkampfwagen III. The Panzer III Ausf. M was used as the base vehicle for these conversions. The hull- mounted MG 34 was retained and a second mounted coaxially with the flame projector in the turret. A small Auto-Union engine powered the pump, which was fed from two containers holding a combined 1,020 liters of flame oil. Ignition for the flame oil was electrical, as opposed to the acetylene used with the Panzerkampfwagen ll-based Flammpanzers. One hundred of these vehicles were completed by Wegmann in Kassel, all on chassis produced by Miag. These vehicles were used in platoon-sized units in both Italy and along the Eastern front. This page: Flame is an extremely demoralizing weapon and naturally is terribly effective against infantry. However, it has an extreme¬ ly short range and the smoke generated makes it fairly easy for opposing artillery to target return fire. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

The Panzerkampfwagen III (FI) used a variation of the pump-supplied flame projection system that had been developed for the Panzer B2 (F). Raw oil could be projected 50 meters, while burning oil could reach a little farther, out to 60 meters. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

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German fully tracked flamethrowers

In December of 1943, Hitler approved the conversion of ten Sturmgeschutze into flamethrowers. Initially it was thought that new chassis would be used for these vehicles, but in the end it was decided to utilize ten older vehicles that had been returned for depot overhaul. Nine of these converted vehicles were avail¬ able in May 1943, with the tenth one being completed the follow¬ ing month. Very little information about these ten vehicles has surfaced. One was lost due to an accident and had to be rebuilt in July. The rebuilding process took two months. At least two of

these vehicles were again converted, this time reverting to their original assault gun configuration in 1944. A limited number of Sturmgeschutz were converted to flamethrowers, per Hitler’s request. The superstructure was modified and this unusual-look¬ ing mounting assembly installed in its place. Some of these vehi¬ cles were later converted back into standard Sturmgeschutz. Photos of this vehicle remain rare and, even though the quality is less than optimum, this shot does show the general layout of the flame nozzle well. (NARA)

ice again Hitler's special interest in flamethrowers came into play dunng November 1944. At that time demanded that a large number of flame tanks be made available in a short penod of Responding this demand, twenty Jagdpanzer 38 were drawn from the CKD factory on December ®J^44 for co rsion to flamethrowers. The Koebe pump operated projection system was chosen for the Flammpanzer I Cartridge-type igniters were used with this installation, having been perfected n May of 1944^Seven indred gallons of flame oil were carried, which meant that the Flammpanzer could fire 60 or so short irsts with out refilling. A sleeve was installed around the flame projector tube to camouflage the vehicle a normal tank destroyer. Unfortunately this tube was flimsy, and when damaged, fouled he f ame pro-

:tor preventing its operation. Mechanically, the Flammpanzer 38 was identical to the familiar Jagdpanzer i However, the lighter load on the front suspension due to the flame gun did 'rnprove steenng. The ammpanzer 38 saw their first combat during Operation Nordwind the winter o 1944-1945 The vu nera-

intinued to be employed well into 1945. Although heavily retouched, this shot shows the arrangement of

fi nozzle and its sleeve. (Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY)

German fully tracked flamethrowers

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